Laundry Article Separation Device

ABSTRACT

A laundry article separation device for segregating a smaller laundry item while drying includes a shell, which defines an interior space and which comprises a first piece and a second piece. A hinge is attached to and extends between the first piece and the second piece of the shell. The shell thus is selectively positionable in an open configuration, wherein a smaller laundry article is positionable in the shell, and a closed configuration. A plurality of holes is positioned in the shell and allows for passage of air into and out of the interior space. A closure is attached to the shell and is opposingly positioned on the shell relative to the hinge. The closure selectively and fixedly positions the shell in the closed configuration. The shell retains the smaller laundry article within the interior space and segregates the smaller laundry item from larger laundry items in a clothes dryer.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR ASA TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to separation devices and more particularlypertains to a new separation device for segregating a smaller laundryitem while drying. The present invention discloses a separation devicethat encapsulates one or more small laundry items while drying toincrease efficiency in handling a load of clothes in a dryer.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art relates to separation devices. Prior art separationdevices may comprise water permeable bags. Related prior art comprisesballs for dispensing laundry products used in clothes dryers, mesh bagsthat are positionable over spindles of washing machines, clothes dryerballs for softening fabric while drying, and hinged hemisphericalclamshell cases with bone shaped holes for holding balls. What islacking in the prior art is a separation device comprising a shell,which in turn comprises a first piece that is hingedly attached to asecond piece. A plurality of holes is positioned in the shell and allowsfor passage of air into and out of the interior space. The shellsegregates a smaller laundry item from larger laundry items in a clothesdryer.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above bygenerally comprising a shell, which defines an interior space and whichcomprises a first piece and a second piece. A hinge is attached to andextends between the first piece and the second piece of the shell. Theshell thus is selectively positionable in an open configuration, whereinthe shell is configured for positioning of a smaller laundry article,and a closed configuration. A plurality of holes is positioned in theshell and is configured for passage of air into and out of the interiorspace. A closure is attached to the shell and is opposingly positionedon the shell relative to the hinge. The closure is positioned toposition the shell, selectively and fixedly, in the closedconfiguration. The shell is configured to retain the smaller laundryarticle within the interior space and to segregate the smaller laundryitem from larger laundry items in a clothes dryer.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the disclosure in order that the detailed descriptionthereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that thepresent contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There areadditional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafterand which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features ofnovelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out withparticularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of thisdisclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than thoseset forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description thereof. Such description makes referenceto the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a laundry article separation device accordingto an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through3 thereof, a new separation device embodying the principles and conceptsof an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by thereference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 , the laundry articleseparation device 10 generally comprises a shell 12, which defines aninterior space 14 and which comprises a first piece 16 and a secondpiece 18. A plurality of holes 20 is positioned in the shell 12 and isconfigured for passage of air into and out of the interior space 14. Asshown in FIG. 1 , the holes 20 are circular, although the presentinvention anticipates the holes 20 being alternatively shaped, such assquare, triangular, and the like.

The shell 12 may be substantially spherical, as shown in FIG. 1 , oralternatively shaped, such as ovoid, icosahedral, and the like. Each ofthe first piece 16 and the second piece 18 may be substantiallyhemispherical, although the present invention also anticipates one ofthe first piece 16 and the second piece 18 being smaller than the other.The shell 12 is substantially nondeformable and comprises substantiallyrigid elastomer.

A hinge 22 is attached to and extends between the first piece 16 and thesecond piece 18 of the shell 12. As shown in FIG. 2 , the hinge 22 isattached to an exterior surface 24 of the shell 12, although the presentinvention also anticipates the hinge 22 being substantially positionedin the interior space 14. As shown in FIG. 2 , the shell 12 isselectively positionable in an open configuration, wherein the shell 12is configured for positioning of a smaller laundry article 26, a dryersheet, or the like, and a closed configuration. Smaller laundry articles26, such as, but not limited to, socks, undergarments, pillowcases, andthe like, often become entangled or otherwise caught up with largerlaundry articles (not shown) when being dried in a mixed load. Thismakes it difficult to locate and separate the smaller laundry articles26 upon completion of drying.

A closure 28 is attached to the shell 12 and is opposingly positioned onthe shell 12 relative to the hinge 22. The closure 28 selectively andfixedly positions the shell 12 in the closed configuration. The closure28 may comprise a hook 30 and a rod 32, or other closing means, such as,but not limited to, clasps, twist locks, and the like. The hook 30 isrotationally attached to one of the first piece 16 and the second piece18, while the rod 32 is attached to the other of the first piece 16 andthe second piece 18. The rod 32 is positioned to selectively engage thehook 30 to position the shell 12, selectively and fixedly, in the closedconfiguration. The shell 12 is configured to retain the smaller laundryarticle 26 within the interior space 14 and to segregate the smallerlaundry item from larger laundry items in a clothes dryer 34.

In use, the smaller laundry articles 26 are positioned in the shell 12and the hook 30 is rotated to engage the rod 32, thus fixing the shell12 in the closed configuration. The shell 12 then is positioned in theclothes dryer 34, along with the larger laundry articles. After dryingis complete, the shell 12 is removed from the clothes dryer 34, the hook30 is disengaged from the rod 32, and the smaller laundry articles 26are removed from the shell 12. An added benefit of having the shell 12in the clothes dryer 34 while drying it softening of the larger laundryarticles that are dried concurrently with the smaller laundry articles26.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodimentenabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials,shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, aredeemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and allequivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings anddescribed in the specification are intended to be encompassed by anembodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of thedisclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used inits non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word areincluded, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. Areference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not excludethe possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless thecontext clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

I claim:
 1. A laundry article separation device comprising: a shelldefining an interior space and comprising a first piece and a secondpiece; a hinge attached to and extending between the first piece and thesecond piece of the shell, such that the shell is selectivelypositionable in an open configuration, wherein the shell is configuredfor positioning of a smaller laundry article, and a closedconfiguration; a plurality of holes positioned in the shell, wherein theholes are configured for passage of air into and out of the interiorspace; and a closure attached to the shell and being opposinglypositioned on the shell relative to the hinge, such that the closure ispositioned for selectively fixedly positioning the shell in the closedconfiguration, wherein the shell is configured for retaining the smallerlaundry article within the interior space and for segregating thesmaller laundry item from larger laundry items in a clothes dryer. 2.The laundry article separation device of claim 1, wherein the shell issubstantially spherical.
 3. The laundry article separation device ofclaim 2, wherein each of the first piece and the second piece issubstantially hemispherical.
 4. The laundry article separation device ofclaim 1, wherein the shell is substantially nondeformable.
 5. Thelaundry article separation device of claim 4, wherein the shellcomprises substantially rigid elastomer.
 6. The laundry articleseparation device of claim 1, wherein the hinge is attached to anexterior surface of the shell.
 7. The laundry article separation deviceof claim 1, wherein the holes are circular.
 8. The laundry articleseparation device of claim 1, wherein the closure comprises: a hookrotationally attached to one of the first piece and the second piece;and a rod attached to the other of the first piece and the second piece,such that the rod is positioned for selectively engaging the hook forselectively fixedly positioning the shell in the closed configuration.9. A laundry article separation system comprising: a clothes dryer;smaller laundry article; a shell defining an interior space andcomprising a first piece and a second piece; a hinge attached to andextending between the first piece and the second piece of the shell,such that the shell is selectively positionable in an open configurationfor positioning of the smaller laundry article into the interior space,and a closed configuration; a plurality of holes positioned in theshell, wherein the holes are configured for passage of air into and outof the interior space; and a closure attached to the shell and beingopposingly positioned on the shell relative to the hinge, such that theclosure is positioned for selectively fixedly positioning the shell inthe closed configuration for retaining the smaller laundry articlewithin the interior space and for segregating the smaller laundry itemfrom larger laundry items in the clothes dryer.
 10. A laundry articleseparation device comprising: a shell defining an interior space andcomprising a first piece and a second piece, the shell beingsubstantially spherical, each of the first piece and the second piecebeing substantially hemispherical, the shell being substantiallynondeformable, the shell comprising substantially rigid elastomer; ahinge attached to and extending between the first piece and the secondpiece of the shell, such that the shell is selectively positionable inan open configuration, wherein the shell is configured for positioningof a smaller laundry article, and a closed configuration, the hingebeing attached to an exterior surface of the shell; a plurality of holespositioned in the shell, wherein the holes are configured for passage ofair into and out of the interior space, the holes being circular; and aclosure attached to the shell and being opposingly positioned on theshell relative to the hinge, such that the closure is positioned forselectively fixedly positioning the shell in the closed configuration,wherein the shell is configured for retaining the smaller laundryarticle within the interior space and for segregating the smallerlaundry item from larger laundry items in a clothes dryer, the closurecomprising: a hook rotationally attached to one of the first piece andthe second piece, and a rod attached to the other of the first piece andthe second piece, such that the rod is positioned for selectivelyengaging the hook for selectively fixedly positioning the shell in theclosed configuration.